Grain cleaner and dust separator for elevators



R. L. DOWDALL GRAIN QLEANER AND DUST SEPARATOR FOR ELBVATORS rma Jan. 2S. 192s Nov. 17, 1925;

Patented Nov.' 17, 1925.

nog UL, Downsrn, `or oBnrtLrN,- KANSAS, AssiorNon; .Br MEsNn iAssrenzann'rs, or

ONE-HALF cro. J. F. Maurin, or oiazEnLIN, Knrrsiis.

GRAIN CLEANERKAND DUST Application filed January citizen y. of i the United States, 'residing 1 at Oberlin, in thewcounty of Decatur Vand State of Kansas, have invented certain new :and spout 14 Which may usefulImprovementsin Grain Cleaners and Dust JISeparatore Ifo-r Elevators, of which 4the following isa speciipication.

This;inventionmrelates-to the general'art f of grain elevators, and has reference more' particularly -todevices for cleaning and freejngthe, grain"from` dust, :chatL'Y-iand broken tion'side of a rotary high speed ian 1T,`th`is andalight particles-of grain. The main objectsiofthe invention are,-to provide an im.

provedcleaner `anddust separator which may, readily-be attached -toor embodied in the-elevator head and iwhichlwilllserva throughthe instrumentality tot a fanwand suitablel-air ducts'and chacollecting devices, tonot onlyfclean the grain by freeing it from dust,` chaff, and light and ybroken particlesybut will Valso keep the elevatori clean,- preventmexplosion f and ire, .and.therebygreducetheuinsurancerrislrsA chaff and/isequipped at its lower end with y. a pivoted 'dooror valve 24,9` normally heldclosed by a counterweight suspended "doorl When the grainin the `container exceeds the pressure ot the open and `pe1`f"` tall intoa dis-A and ,.rates.

Other -objects .aretolprovidea device of the character A described -Whi ch will; also keep thefpit,L andbearings clean, prevent hot boxes and-.dustexplosions,` and abstract thetdust from..-theelevatorlege i A `stillfiurther ob-` jectis toprovidefa device of the-,character described which will not only abstract dust, chaff, .land .light A and --broken particles oi grain, but will also separate the dust from the chaii' and light and broken grain and collect and separately deliver the latter.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art as the same becomes better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which I have illustrated a practical embodiment of the invention which has been found in practice to satisfactorily effectuate the stated purposes and objects thereof; and referring thereto The figure is a vertical section ot the upper portion or head of a grain elevator leg, showing my improvements applied thereto.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates an elevator leg, and 10 a specially con structed head thereof, in which is mounted the usual top pulley 11 over which passes the endless bucket elevator 12, by which the grain is elevated from the bottom of the leg to the head.

gra-in ,directing and sEPARA'roR FOR ELEVATORS.

25, 1923. serial No". 614,73.

Withnthe head "1W usual Ifunnel 13, the

u lower end of which I communicates# with an inclined delivery be revolved on the axis of the funnel' 12% w any y one of a plurality of distributor spouts 15."

Onand communicating-with the delivery side'lof the `head 10""is `a pipe 16 which at itsouter 'end communicates withfthe suclatter' having tangential discharge 18 which communicates with a trap 19 and also, -on its upper side, Vrlhetrap` 19 isprefelably loi'rned with a pair of internal 'shelves 21 so disposed as to `format-their lower ends la narrowjtlow pas sagei22 into the lower portion of the trap;` `thefspaceaboveMthe shelves "constituting a "settling chamber 231 Thelower portion of thetrapy below `the shelves 21, constitutes a p i and on the delivery` side oi `the bucket elevator 12 is loca-ted the soas to `cominui'iicate with with an exhaust spout20,"`

- lcontainerlor` holder for the light grain and" `frommen arm26 on the y A Weight of the chail and light' r counterweight, the door will Vmit-the grain and chaff to oi the trap 19, air circulation through the settling' chamber 23 is prevented.

On the inner side of the vertical wall of the head 10 to which the air pipe 16 is connected, and opposite the inner end of said pipe and above the funnel 13 is an inclined board 28 which constitutes a grain spreader for the grain as it is thrown down by the buckets of the elevator. This spreads the grain directly across the path ol the air current, so that the latter readily draws the dust, chail `and light and defective particles of grain out oi' the falling body of grain, carrying the same through the ian and discharging it through the delivery spout 18. Since there is no air circulation through the air chamber 23, the air current refleXed from the chamber 23 is forced up wardly and outwardly through the spout 20, taking with it the finest and lightest particles consisting mostly of dust, while the light grain and chaff enter the chamber 23 settling therein and flowing through the narrow discharge throat 22 into the lower portion of the trap, and filling the latter up to a point at which the weight suliices to open the door 24C and thus allow the light grain and challl to flow through the spout 27 to a sack or bin.

The strength of the suction current is regulated by means of a hinged door valve 29 formed in the wall of the suction pipe 16. By partly opening the said door valve the strength of the suction is reduced; and by completely closing the same, the entire suction is through the elevator' leg and head.

The air current induced by the fan l? has its inlet at the boot or bottom of the leg, thus keeping the pit clean and taking the dust out of the leg. It also keeps the bearings clean and prevents hot boxes and dust explosions. The air current passes through and across the grain between the bottom of the spreader 28 and the funnel 13, and also draws with it the dust and chaff floating in the head l0 and in the leg 10.

It will thus be seen that the device performs a number of advantageous functions in connection with the elevation and distribution of grain in an elevator. It thoroughly cleans the grain of dirt and dust, discharging the latter to the outside. It also separates out from the grain the chai and light and defective particles of grain and delivers the same to a separate bin or sack `for chicken and stock feed or other purposes. It also keeps the elevator leg and head clean and free from dust accumulations, prevents danger of dust explosion and fire, thus cutting down the insurance rate. Furthermore, by the use of the suction fan any damp and smutty grain that is run over the leg will be dried and conditioned, thus eliminating danger of heating.

Manifestly the specific form and details of structure may be variously modified without departing from the principle of the'invention or sacrificing any of the advantages inherent therein; and hence I reserve all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit and purview ot' the appended claims.

I claim* l. In a grain cleaner of the character described, the combination with a grain elevator leg and head, of a Vfan connected on its suction side to said head, al discharge pipe for said fan, a grain receptacle directly communicating with the delivery end of said discharge pipe, and a dust discharge pipe communicating with said fan discharge pipe laterally o1 the latter and extending i thence at a higher level than the top ,of said grain receptacle.

Q. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a grain elevator leg and head, of an endless bucket elevating conveyor mounted therein, an inclined plate mounted in said box across the path of the grain thrown oil' by the conveyor buckets and acting to spread the grain impinging thereon, a rotary fan, and a pipe connecting the suction side of said fan with a wall of said head behind said spreader plate.

3. ln a grain cleaner of the character described, the combination with' a grain elevator leg and head, of a fan connected on its suction side to said head, a discharge pipe for said fan, a grain receptacle directly communicating with the delivery end of said discharge pipe, and a dust discharge pipe overlying said grain receptacle and com-A municating with the upper side of said fan discharge pipe behind the delivery end` of the latter.

ROY L. DOWDALL. 

